UA’s completed camera suite, OCAMS, sits on a test bench that mimics its arrangement on the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. The three cameras that compose the instrument are the eyes of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.

Three University of Arizona-built cameras will soon be added to the NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft being assembled in Colorado.

The OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite, or OCAMS, is the eyes of the mission that will visit an asteroid and collect a sample to be returned to Earth for study.

"It has three camera components which were specifically tailored to help the mission achieve its goal of finding the asteroid, safely entering orbit, picking out a safe landing site and documenting the retrieval of that sample," said Chuck Fellows, manager of the camera program.

UA is leading The OSIRIS-REx mission. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch in September 2016, with the sample coming back to Earth in 2023.

UA’s completed camera suite, OCAMS, sits on a test bench that mimics its arrangement on the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. The three cameras that compose the instrument are the eyes of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. (Photo courtesy of University of Arizona - Symeon Platts)

Mechanical engineer Mitch Beiser (left) and senior staff engineer William Verts prepare the OCAMS instrument for its final round of testing at UA’s OSIRIS-REx facility. (Photo courtesy of University of Arizona - Symeon Platts)

The largest of the three OCAMS components, PolyCam is a long-range camera that will locate the asteroid Bennu while the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is still 2 million kilometers away.(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona - Symeon Platts)

MapCam’s main purpose is to create a visual map of the asteroid Bennu’s surface. The images it sends back to Earth from atop the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will help mission scientists chose a safe and scientifically interesting sample site on Bennu.(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona - Symeon Platts)

SamCam is the sample acquisition verification camera. It captures images of the sample event on the asteroid Bennu while the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is only 3 meters away from the surface.(Photo courtesy of University of Arizona - Symeon Platts)